In my work with clients, I’ve discovered that even within the biggest and best known brands, marketing and PR professionals are experiencing fear. You fear that your creative, original ideas won’t work, so you stick with the same old actions, which were proven not to work long ago. You fear rejection from the press if you reach out individually to build relationship, so you continue to pitch them impersonally, en masse. You know how to execute the status quo, and anything else creates discomfort.

But this fear is irrational. Most companies are executing strategies that haven’t worked repeatedly in the past (i.e. A constant focus on technical specifications instead of life improvement). This is what to fear. Try new ideas in small portions. Attempt a handful of one-on-one relationships with the media. Communicate the lifestyle value of your product to a small group, and note the reaction. The results will assuage your fear, and turn it into energy and passion.